Shoe-horn



(No Model.) 7

E. E. WOLF. SHOE HORN.

No. 466,643. Patented Jan. 5, 1892.

WINESSES: INVENITOR fifz 6 4,227 1 B 1],) A TTORNEY.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. IVOLF, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

SHOE-HORN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,643, dated January5, 1892.

Application filedJannary' 17, 1891. Serial No. 378.133.

To a whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER E. WOLF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain. new I and useful Improvements in Shoe-Horns, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

M y invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inshoe-horns; and the object of myimprovements is to provide a deviceadapted to take hold of or grip a shoe and maintain its temporarysetting action and allow ping action on the foot. 7

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, andon which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1represents a side view of my device, with parts broken away, and thedevice in its set position; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line 000c of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a side View of another form of my device in anopen position.

The letter A designates a shoe-horn proper, of horn, metal, or othersuitable material, and preferablythin and curved, as usual, to adapt itto ease the heel when inserting the foot with in the shoe. As ordinarilyformed the shoehorn has no gripping action on the shoe itself to assistin its adjustment on the foot, and my device is especially adapted forlow-cut shoes, or those not provided with a back strap. I thereforeprovide the horn proper with a gripping device consisting, essentially,of a clamping-piece B, preferably pivoted to the back of said horn bypivots 0 through the lugs a on the horn proper. The lower part of thisclamping-piece is preferably provided with a rubber lining-surface D,corrugated or otherwise adapted to promote the contact of the clam pingdevice with the leather without marring the same. This lining may be ofrubber or other suitable material and riveted or otherwise secured, asshown in Fig. 1. The upper part of the clamping-piece is provided with ahandle E, preferably pivoted thereto at F and extending adjacent to theupper end of the horn proper to be simultaneously grasped therewith. Thehandle E is preferably provided with a cam engagement with the horn ofyet further gripthe said shoe in putting it 011 position thereon by a(No model.)

proper by means of cam-surfaces e 6', adapted to bear on the undersurface of the horn proper or other adjacent part. tially straightbetween the points 6 6', so that when both of said points are in contactwith the horn proper the handle is set in its adjusted position and theclamping-piece B exerts a pressure upon the horn proper and theinterposed shoe. In other words, the camthe base of a triangle of is theapex and lies With- It is preferred that the handle E should embrace orstraddle the horn proper, so as to form two of said cam-surfaces topromote the stability and stiffness of the device. Any further pull onthe handle E will cause the point e to bear still harder on the hornproper and increase the gripping engagement of the clamping-piece withthe shoe as the foot is inserted therein. The handle is dotted in itsinitial position in Fig. 1, from which it is moved toits set position.(Shown in full lines.) Thus it will be seen that the salesman mayadjustthe horn on theheel of the shoe, setting it in the position toprevent it from disengagement while he hands it to the purchaser, whowill cause the said further gripping action of the clamping-piece as heinserts his foot within the shoe. This gripping engagement may be madeentirely by the salesman instead of partially by him, and thenadditionally by the purchaser when putting the shoe on his foot. Thissetting action of the handle and clamping-piece occurs as soon as thepoint earrives in the line with or passes the pivot F of the handle andclamping-piece. The farther this bearing-point e passes said pivot thegreater the setting action, since any pressure on the clamping-piecetending to force it outward or open the jaws will only tend to forcethis point (2 still farther past the pivot. A spring G, coiled orotherwise shaped, is preferably interposed between the clamping deviceand the horn proper, as shown in Fig. 1, to cause the normal separationof the clamp from the horn proper.

While I have shown the preferred form of my device in Figs. 1 and 2, Ido not wish to limit myself to the exact form and construction, and itwill be observed in Fig. 3 that the handle E forms a part of theclamping-piece This cam is'substan-,

l the horn proper and B and extends through a slot A in the horn properand is operated from above insteadof below the extension of the hornitself. In this form the setting action is caused by a ring H, which isadapted to be slid along the diverging handle E and extension of thehorn proper, and thus maintain the gripping action of the clamping-pieceB with the lower portion of the horn proper. A spring G secures thenormally-open position of the device.

While I have described the shoe-horn as specially adapted to be used inplacing a shoe upon the foot, I do not limit myself to 5 what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by In this this particular use, since it isalso of special advantage in the making of shoes. instance it is used toturn the heel back over the last after the false sole has been securedto the upper. Asordinarily done this is a slow and tedious operation;but with my device the upper may and placed upon the last.

As before mentioned, it is preferred to form other portions of my deviceof sheet metal, since it will thus combine strength and lightness, aswell as the minimum amount of material. If preferred, howbe readilyreversed ever, the parts may be cast or otherwise formed of suitablesize and shape; but I wish to be understood as laying claim, broadly, tothe setting action of the handle, whether caused by the cam action abovedescribed or otherwise.

The horn proper, it will be seen, serves as one member or jaw, which isopposed by the other member or clamping-piece forming the" other jaw. Itis preferred that the cam enbetween the handle and the horn proper; butthe device may be othergagement should be wise constructed as long asthe above-described action is secured.

I am aware that a shoe-horn clamp for assisting the insertion of thefoot into the shoe is old. ThereforeI do not claim it, broadly,by itselfwithout the means for effecting the set- .ting action hereinbeforedescribed.

I am aware that pinchers having a cam bearin g-surface operating toclose the jaws is old.

I do not therefore claim the same, broadly,

without the cam-setting action of the jaws, as hereinbefore described.

Having thus fully described niyinvention,

Letters Patent,-is

The combination, with a shoe-horn proper conformed to the shape of thefoot and'constitut-ing one member of a clampingdevice,

of a clamping-jaw pivoted to the shoe-horn proper, a spring open saidja'ws, a handle pivoted to one memher and having acam-snrface consistingof a having a normal tendency to portion adapted to effect a primarygripping action of said jaws to set them, substantially as described,and of another portion adapted to effect a further gripping actionthereof, the

two portions forming the base of a triangle of which their pivot is theapex, whereby a set condition of said jaws is effected when said base isin bearing contact, and a secondary pressure may be exerted through oneend of said base by a further operation of said handle. In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. WOLF. YVitnesses:

WARREN HULL, Gno. A. BEARD.

